


Talking to Penguins

by wendyindahouse



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Slash, Teacher!Dean, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, pining!Castiel, pining!dean, zookeeper!castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 17:19:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1907394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wendyindahouse/pseuds/wendyindahouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean is a Kindergarten teacher who may or may not take his class to the zoo rather more often than might be considered usual, which is obviously only because they like the animals, and nothing at all to do with the charms of a certain blue-eyed keeper who works in the Adelie Penguin enclosure...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talking to Penguins

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted over on [my tumblr](http://poorbeautifuldean.tumblr.com)

Dean fidgets with his keys in his pocket as he hesitates outside the Adelie penguin enclosure.  He’s really not sure he can do this.  Sure, asking Cas out had seemed like a good idea at home, but now?  Now it seems like a really big mistake.

What if Cas says no?  Dean brings his Kindergarten class to the zoo all the time, and yeah, maybe they wouldn’t come  _quite_  so often if he wasn’t so desperate to see Cas, but they love the penguins and it would still be really awkward.

Cas is so good with the kids too, letting them throw fish for the penguins and patiently answering endless questions from curious six-year-olds, and he doesn’t want to spoil that.  

He probably only imagined that Cas seemed to stand closer than necessary last week, shoulders bumping occasionally while they stood and watched the kids pressing their noses up against the glass and cooing with delight.  He probably only imagined that Cas’ fingers seemed to linger on his as they shook hands when it was time for Dean and his class to leave; only imagined that those expressive, blue eyes were trying to tell him something important.

But here he is anyway, close to closing time, drawing curious glances as he paces back and forth trying to muster enough courage to actually go inside.

The public address system squawks to life, announcing that the zoo is closing in 10 minutes, and it spurs Dean into action.  He pushes his shoulders back and strides up the path that leads to the penguin enclosure.  

It’s deserted when he reaches the top and he wonders for a moment if Cas even works weekends before he spots the familiar tousled, dark hair and sees Cas bending down at the water’s edge.  Dean takes a deep breath and begins to make his way down, fighting the urge to turn tail with every step.  

As he gets closer, he realises Cas is speaking, murmuring to the penguins as he feeds them.  He is just about to make his presence known when a particularly noisy penguin causes Cas to raise his voice, and his words carry to where Dean stands.

"Yes, yes… I know… You miss your mate and you’re lonely.  At least she’s only gone for a few days while her wing heals though".  Cas stares down at the fish in his hand for a while, before finally offering it to the penguin, saying sadly "I’m lonely too.  I don’t have a mate at all."

Dean feels like he’s intruding on a private moment and is turning to leave when Cas’ next words stop him in his tracks.

"He was here again this week, you know.  With his class.  It feels like we have a connection, and I thought maybe he…" Cas trails off into a sigh, feeding another fish to the squawking penguin before he continues.

"it’s just wishful thinking though… I guess some of us just aren’t meant to find a life-mate.  I mean, what guy would be interested in someone who stinks of fish all the time and talks to penguins huh?"

"I happen to think it’s pretty cute when you talk to them, actually" Dean murmurs, smiling shyly as Cas whirls round to face him, cheeks flaming as he clambers to his feet.

"And I’d really like to take you to dinner" Dean continues, looking down at his shoes and feeling his own cheeks flush.  "Maybe see if I can change your mind about giving up on the whole life-mate thing already?"

He risks a glance back up, to find Cas gazing at him, a shocked smile breaking out as he nods slowly.

"I’d like that Dean.  I’d like that a lot."

Dean grins, taking a step closer, then wrinkles his nose as he peers over Cas’ shoulder and sees what appears to be a very happy penguin devouring the fish Cas has absent-mindedly abandoned.

"Maybe not seafood though, okay?"


End file.
